Hinge motion control mechanism



July 29, 1969 M. T. PHELPS HINGE MOTION CONTROL MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22. 1967 w w a 3mm "WP .NM 7'. 7 i

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July 29, 1969 M. T. PHELPS 3,457,534

HINGE MOTION CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 S m R. E N 0 a T H R 6 a w m P a. 2 3 3 5 V Y z w 3 3 W M m 6 t m Q I c 5 R I L w :nflwa 1 m O O F g 6 W O 0 l 5 1% W 0W H w w m 1 2 25 I H. M A 4 mm M 6 ,m 1 Y. 4 m l l flU H I 1 .5 ww uwnvnwfl w.ww%wm w T f h L .2 2 2y QJWW I w LIIII. v 6 o 7 8 \sxw 6 I H July 29, 1969 M. T. PHELPS 3,457,584

HINGE MOTION CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1967 .5 Sheets-Sheet 5 U m LL U. ll.

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0 E x M m x O A CLOSED OPEN SPRING FORCE EFFECT INVENTOR. NALCOZMZ' PHEL PS QWnQMn'QQ QM QM ATTORNEYS US. CI. 16-19@ 4 Claims humaneat ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved combination counterbalance and selfbraking type hinge mechanism for pivotally supporting and balancing and otherwise positionally controlling the lid or cover of an open top type cabinet or the like. More specifically the invention relates to motion control hinge mechanisms such as are useful for example in connection with pop-up type top covers of record player cabinets, freezer cabinets, filing cabinets, or other receptacles having hinged covers or lids which are swingable from horizontal closed positions to vertically standing open positions, and which are spring-biased to pop up when the holding catch is released; as distinguished for example from the mechanism of my earlier Patent No. 3,187,374 which was operable with a catch-less cabinet lid.

The present invention provides an improved motion controlling hinge device which also incorporates a friction brake mechanism which snubs any tendency of the cover to coast. The brake system applies no snubbing action to the cover during the lowermost sector of its swinging arc, thereby permitting the cover to initially pop open and rise to a predetermined degree under the impetus of the counterbalance spring, when released from its holding latch. As the cover swings throughout the remainder of its travel are the brake mechanism is variably operable, automatically, to compensate for the changing gravity loads on the cover.

By way of example the invention is described hereinafter and illustrated by the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top perspective view of a cabinet having its cover mounted thereon by means of a hinge device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, on enlarged scale, taken as suggested by line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 but showing the hinge parts when the cabinet cover is in various open positions;

FIGS. 5, 6 are fragmentary sectional views, on further enlarged scale, showing the hinge counterbalance and variable brake mechanisms in different conditions of operation;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic side elevational view showing the cabinet lid in different positions for reference to the force diagrams of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 8 is a composite graphical illustration of the relation of the spring force and braking friction effects operatin on the lid at different angular positions of the lid.

As shown at FIG. 1 in the drawing herewith, a hinge mechanism embodying the invention is indicated generally at 10 as being employed in conjunction with a pair of standard hinges 11-11 to mount a cover 12 relative to a cabinet 14; it being understood of course that only one or any other number of such hinges of the invention may be employed with or without conventional hinges to provide proper hinging support for a cabinet cover, depending upon its weight and/or dimensional characteristics. The hinge or hinges, as the case may be, are adapted to be mounted against the rear wall of the cabinet and atent O ice against the rear edge of the cover, so as to be thereby unobtrusively disposed from View such as when the cabinet is customarily placed against a wall surface or the like. Hence, when the cover is raised to its full open position as illustrated for example by broken lines at FIG. 4, access to the interior of the cabinet is completely unobstructed by the presence of any hinge parts.

As shown by way of example herein, the hinge mechanism of the invention comprises a pair of relatively pivotable bracket portions interconnected by means of a hinge pin 16. One of the bracket portions comprises a generally channel-shaped housing member 18 adapted to be fixed as by means of wood screws or the like, in vertically standing attitude against the back wall of the cabinet; having apertured side flanges 19-19 for that purpose. The side walls of the bracket 18 are formed at their upper ends with eye portions 20-20 accommodating the pin 16. The second bracket portion comprises a metal stamping as indicated generally at 22, having parallel eye portions 2424 suitably apertured to also accommodate the pin 16 therethrough; whereby the parts 18, 22, are interconnected in hinged relation. The bracket 22 is also formed with a pair of apertured side flanges 26-26 for fastening the bracket to the rear edge of the cabinet cover 12; and also preferably includes a forwardly extending tab 28 which is apertured to accommodate a wood screw 29 or the like for additional fastening of the device to the underside of the cabinet cover. Thus it will be appreciated that by reason of this arrangement the cover 12 is mounted to pivot relative to the open top of the cabinet 14 between horizontally extending closed position and partial or full open positions when the cover is in full vertically extending position.

To counterbalance the weight of the cover to which the hinge mechanism is attached, a compression spring 30 is provided to bear at its lower end upon a washer 32 carried by a sleeve-shaped brake shoe 34 at an enlarged shoulder portion 35 thereof. A rounded bottom end portion of the sleeve 34 rests in a conically bored cup 36 having a top flange which rests upon an apertured sill portion 38 of a stirrup member designated generally by the numeral 40 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4). The upper end of the spring 30 bears against a cross bar 42 which acts as a guide for the upper end of the spring 30, by being held in slotted portions 46 of the arms of the stirrup 40. To facilitate this action the ends of the cross bar 42 are fitted with wear-resistant and noise-reducing buttons 48 which ride in the slots 46 to prevent any metal-to-metal sliding contacts. The stirrup arms 44-44 are apertured at their upper ends to accommodate therethrough a hanger pin 49 which also extends through aligned apertures in the side walls of the bracket member 22 at positions radially offset from the axis of the main hinge pin 16. Thus, the stirrup 40 is suspended from the pin 49 which swings through an arc about the axis of the hinge pin 16 as the bracket 22 pivots on the hinge pin 16 as the cabinet cover swings between closed and open positions.

The cross bar 42 is held in position by means of a tie rod 50 which is headed at its lower end to be thereby anchored in a bevelled aperture formed in a bottom plate which bears upwardly against a centrally apertured bottom wall portion 56 of the bracket 18. The tie rod 50 at its upper end threads through a tapped aperture in the cross bar 42; and thus the spring 30 is maintained in compressed relation between the bottom sill 38 and the cross bar 42; the degree of compression decreasing as the cover 12 moves towards its up-standing or open position to compensate for decreasing torque loads (due to decreasing gravity forces on the cover) as it swings upwardly.

The parts are so dimensioned and arranged that when the cover is down, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, the stirrup 40 is pulled upon upwardly so as to compress the spring 30 into the range of its high-tensioned condition. Thus, the spring 30 is now exerting maximum pull downwardly through the stirrup and upon the pin 49; tending to rotate the hinge bracket 22 about the main hinge pin 16. Then, as the cover moves further upwardly, such as through the first 45 degrees of its opening arc, the stirrup hanger pin 49 swings in an arc behind the hinge pin 16 as from the position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 4, thereby substantially increasing the distance between the sill 38 and the cross bar 42. This relaxes the spring and reduces the forces being applied by the spring for counterbalancing the gravity forces on the cover. Inasmuch as the cover is now swinging towards an upwardly standing position about the hinge pin 16, the torque forces thereon (due to gravity) are decreasing progressively as the cover approaches its fully upright position; and the parts are so proportioned and arranged that throughout the arc of cover motion the varying torque and spring forces are operable to generally compensate for and balance one another.

When the cover reaches a truly vertical standing attitude as shown for example by broken lines in FIG. 4, the distance between the sill 38 and the cross bar 42 is maximum; and the rod 50 is preferably adjusted in the cross bar 42 so that under this condition the spring exerts minimum forces on the hanger pin 49.

Screw driver adjustments of the spring control tie rod 50 will of course adapt the mechanism to provide any preferred cover actions, and also will provide for proper control of covers of different weights and/ or dimensions. Thus, when applied to heavier covers, for example, and/or to covers of greater depth dimensions, whereby gravity-induced torque loads thereon are heavier, the spring 30 will be more highly tensioned and will provide proportionately greater (and needed) cover balancing effects. In any case, in accord with the present invention, the spring effect will be adjusted so that when the cabinet cover hold-down catch as indicated at 58 (FIG. 7) is released, the cover will pop-up under the impetus of the spring 36 such as to the position indicated at B in FIGS. 7, 8.

It is a particular feature of the mechanism of the present invention that the brake sleeve 34 is formed of a resiliently plastic material having variable contact-friction characteristics. Thus, for example as shown in FIG. 6, when the spring 30 is in its most relaxed condition (when the cover 12 is in full open and vertically standing position) the brake sleeve 34 fits with the least pressure on the rod 50 while the rounded bottom nose portion, of the sleeve rests in the conical cup 36 in its least deformed condition. Hence, minimum friction brake effects exist between the sleeve 34 and the rod 50. However, as the cover 12 is moved downwardly, the stirrup 40 is thereby pulled upwardly relative to the bracket 18 and this increasingly compresses the spring 30. The progressively increasing compression of the spring 30 is reflected in correspondingly increasing pressures being ap plied by the spring against the shoulder portion 35 of the brake sleeve 34, tending to further drive the rounded bottom nose portion of the sleeve into the conical cup 36', thereby squeezing the material of the sleeve radially inwardly into progressively increasing friction-bearing contact with rod 50.

Thus, it will be appreciated that as the torque loads on the cover (due to gravity effects thereon) increase as the cover moves downwardly from an upright standing position, the motion snubbing or friction brake effects generated by the nose portion of the brake sleeve 34 against the rod 50 increase proportionately. Hence, it will be appreciated that the relatively simple mechanism of the present invention is adapted to hingedly mount a cover as explained hereinabove and to at the same time provide an automatically varying counterbalancing spring effect (as a function of cover position), compensating for coincidental variations in the torque loads on the cover due to gravity effect. Also, at the same time the cover motion snubbing action of the friction sleeve 34 is automatically adjusted to provide appropriately varying degrees of brake action to compensate for the varying inertia forces of the cover.

Thus the cover is easily put into motion manually from a stand-still position at any point within the arc of its permissive hinge movement; and yet whenever manual displacement forces are removed the snubbing action of the sleeve 34 will operate to smoothly and quickly cushion and then halt the cover movement. Thus, whenever the manually applied force giving the cover a motion impetus is removed, the cover will immediately decelerate and come to a smooth stop, regardless of the position thereof within the range of permissive movement. This is true whether the cover is being moved upwardly, or downwardly, and at any stage throughout its major arc of movement.

It is a particular feature of the mechanism of the present invention that the spring control stem 50 is variously diametered at different stages lengthwise thereof in order to provide a still further improved mode of cover motion control action. As best shown in FIGS. 2-6 the control stem 50 is bevel-shouldered down as indicated at to a reduced diameter portion 62; the shoulder portion 60 being so positioned that when the cabinet cover is disposed within the lowermost segment of its arc of motion the brake sleeve member rides in the region of the reduced diameter portion 62 of the control stem, and thus is free of frictional contact therewith. Therefore, assuming the cover to be latched down in cabinet-closing position, the brake device is inoperative; and upon release of the latch device 58 the spring 30 will cause the cover to pop-up and rise to a slightly inclined position, such as for example to a position as shown at FIG. 7. Thus, the front edge of the cover is readily available for gripping by the operator for manual shifting of the cover either to further open or lowered positions.

FIG. 8 illustrates by means of positionally related graphs the typically preferred counterbalance spring and brake mechanism effect patterns, coordinated to various positions of the cover as it moves between open and closed positions. The spring effect curve illustrates how the spring force effect is generally linear to compensate for the increased gravity load on the cover as it descends from vertically standing to cabinet closing position. However, the mechanism is so constructed that the force effect curve is not strictly linear; the system being arranged so that a slight excess of spring force effect is applied during the lowermost segment of cover travel so as to insure a prompt pop-up action whenever the cover holding latch 58 is released. Also, note that the mechanism is so arranged that as the cabinet cover approaches its upright standing position the pivotal connection of the spring support stirrup to the cover swings downwardly and inwardly and generally under the cover hinge pin axis. Because the axis of the hinge pin 16 is inwardly offset from the gravity center line of the cover when the latter is standing vertically, the forces of gravity now operate to hold the cover in vertical position, and it is preferable that only minimum counterbalance spring forces be thenin effect.

Referring now to the braking friction effect curve portion of FIG. 8, it will be noted that whereas maximum counter-balance spring effects apply when the cover is closed, no braking friction effects apply to the system at that same time so as to insure a snappy pop-up response by the cover to release of its holding latch. However, as indicated at point A on the graph, when the cover reaches an upwardly inclined angle of something of the order of 15-20 degrees the braking friction effect is suddenly applied (by entrance of the larger diameter portion of the control shaft 50 into the nose of the brake sleeve 34). Because the spring 30 is at this time still under substantial compression and is therefore applying a substantial force against the brake sleeve, and braking effect will be relatively sudden and strong, thereby causing the cover to stop with its front edge disposed so as to be conveniently reached by the operator. The relative position of the cover at this time is indicated by point B on the graph. The operator may now move the lid manually to any desired further opened position; the counterbalance spring functioning automatically as explained hereinabove to render the cover weightless from the standpoint of the operator, while the brake system prevents any undesired coasting of the cover when released by the operator.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A combination hinge and counterbalance and motion control mechanism for hingedly mounting a cover upon an open top cabinet and providing an improved cover pop-up and manual control thereof;

said mechanism including first and second brackets adapted to be fixed respectively to said cover and said cabinet,

a hinge pin pivotally interconnecting said brackets,

a stirrup member of U-shaped form including opposed leg portions pivotally connected at their upper ends to a hanger pin carried by said first bracket at a position radially offset from the axis of said hinge pin,

said stirrup member including a bottom sill portion apertured and carrying therein a cup with a conical bore, a resilient friction-material sleeve having a rounded bottom end portion resting in a bore of said cup,

a compression spring bearing downwardly at its bottom end upon said sleeve and bearing at its upper end against a cross arm having its opposite end portions riding in slide guide means formed on said stirrup leg portions,

a tie rod fixed at its bottom end to the second of said brackets and slidably extending vertically through said sill portion and said cup and said spring and fixed at its upper end to said cross arm whereby to hold the latter in constant distance relation with said second bracket,

said rod having a relatively large diameter portion and a relatively small diameter portion, and said spring being adjusted to exert forces acting through said stirrup member substantially balancing the torque effects of gravity on said cover throughout the upper range of its positional movements while over-balancing the torque effects of gravity on said cover when the latter is in horizontal cabinet-closing position, a cover catch device associated with said cabinet for holding said cover in horizontal cabinet closing position and manually releasable to permit said cover to rise to partly open position under the impetus of said spring, the internal wall surfaces of said sleeve coming to bear in frictional engagement with only the larger diameter portion of said tie rod and thereby operating to snub movements of said stirrup member relative to said tie rod and thereby damping hinging movements of said cover only during the upper range of movements thereof, the friction bearing pressures between said sleeve and said tie rod varying accord ing to the thrust pressure variations of said spring against said sleeve as a function of spring compression variations incident to cover positional changes.

2. A cabinet cover motion control mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the junction of said relatively small and relatively largediameter tie rod portions is of conically bevelled shoulder form.

3. A cabinet cover motion control mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein said spring is so arranged as to impose maximum compression forces on said friction sleeve for sudden braking of the cover pop-up movement when the latter engages said tie rod shoulder portion.

4. A combination hinge and counterbalance and motion control mechanism for hingedly mounting a cover upon an open top cabinet and providing for an improved cover pop-up and manual control thereof;

said mechanism including first and second brackets adapted to be fixed respectively to said cover and said cabinet,

a hinge pin pivotally interconnecting said brackets,

a stirrup member of U-shaped form including opposed leg portions pivotally connected at their ends to a hanger pin carried by one of said brackets and including a tapered dwell portion,

a resilient friction-material sleeve having an end portion resting in said dwell portion,

a compression spring bearing at one end upon said sleeve,

a tie rod fixed at one end to the second of said brackets and slidably extending through said dwell portion and said spring and fixed at its other end to said spring whereby to hold the latter in constant distance relation from said second bracket,

said tie rod having a relatively large diameter portion and a relatively small diameter portion, and said spring being adjusted to exert forces acting through said stirrup member substantially balancing the torque effects of gravity on said cover throughout the upper range of its positional movements while over-balancing the torque effects of gravity on said cover when the latter is in horizontal cabinet-closing position, a cover catch device associated with said cabinet for holding said cover in horizontal cabinetclosing position and manually releasable to permit said cover to rise to partly open position under the impetus of said spring,

the internal wall surfaces of said sleeve bearing in frictional engagement. with only the larger diameter portion of said tie rod and thereby operating to snub movements of said stirrup member relative to said tie rod thereby damping hinging movements of said cover only during the upper range of movements thereof.

References Cited 

